A gray, rainy day... perfect for baking. I LOVE IT! I feel as though it's been weeks (and it probably has) since I've had a day by myself, in my kitchen. And doesn't chocolate always sound good on a cold, gray, rainy day? I made an espresso and chocolate batter, then filled muffin cups and financier molds. And to make them just a bit more decadent, I drizzled the little baked cakes with a bittersweet ganache. And served them with hot chocolate + homemade marshmallows. adapted from coffee journal | autumn 1996 MAKES 12 MUFFINS • 3/4 cup milk • 1/4 cup heavy cream • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces • 2 cups flour • 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 1 tablespoon instant espresso • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 egg, room temperature • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 3/4 cup grated bittersweet chocolate PREHEAT OVEN to 350˚F 1. Position oven rack in lower-third of oven. 2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted. Set aside to cool. 3. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. 4. Whisk the egg and vanilla extract into the cooled milk mixture. Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in grated bittersweet chocolate. 5. Fill 12 lined muffin cups with the batter (I filled 9 muffin cups and 9 financier molds) and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Financier molds will take approximately 13 to 15 minutes. 6. If desired, drizzle the cooled cakes will chocolate ganache: Heat 3 ounces heavy cream until hot. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate and let set for a couple of minutes. Stir mixture until smooth. Spoon chocolate sauce over muffins. TAKE a LOOK:
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During the summer months, I'm rather lukewarm towards chocolate. Desserts made with berries and stone-fruit are what I'm craving. But once the temperatures cool, chocolate works its way back into my baking. I've been slowly rebuilding my chocolate inventory over the past few weeks, so when that chocolate urge hits, I have available what I need. Bittersweet, milk, and white chocolate are purchased in bulk. Natural and Dutch cocoa are picked up by the bagfuls at Penzey's. And semi-sweet chocolate chips, that have endless uses, are stored in a large French canning jar in my cupboard. And, the chocolate urge just hit big-time. I've had this recipe on file for several months, and today was the perfect day -- cool and drizzly -- to mix up this intense chocolate batter. These are excellent with a glass of ice-cold milk. I know this to be true -- I ended up having two! adapted recipe by Yvonne Ruperti | via Serious Eats • 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) cocoa powder • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar • 2 large eggs • 1/3 cup canola oil • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 tablespoon espresso powder • 1 1/4 cups mini chocolate chips, divided PREHEAT OVEN TO 375˚F 1. Line 16 muffin cups with paper. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. 3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the eggs until thick and pale yellow. Mixing slowly, add the canola oil, milk, vanilla, and espresso. Increase speed, and mix just briefly, until well-combined. Add the dry mixture to the liquid at low speed and mix just until combined. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. 4. Divide the batter evenly between the 16 muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips evenly over the batter. 5. Bake on the middle rack of preheated oven for approximately 18-20 minutes, or until done. TAKE a LOOK: It's always a struggle for me "up north" (aside from the fact that I'm a city girl). I will prepare for days before leaving home, but it always seems as though I'm unprepared when we arrive at our destination. I will pack crates of fresh food and dry goods, but always end up lacking... something. Plus, it doesn't help that I will never feel comfortable in any kitchen but my own. The "up north" electric oven bakes much hotter than my gas range at home. This translates into burnt baked goods at times. Dinner at the lodge? I'd much rather, but it doesn't happen often. Ok... enough complaining! It's almost 10 degrees cooler here than at home. There's a lake. There's a pool. I made fresh Sweet Cherry Muffins this morning for breakfast, and they were very good -- even though they lacked the cinnamon. Something else I forgot to pack. + recipe adapted from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook + • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 3 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 1 large egg, slightly beaten • 1/4 cup canola oil • 1 cup milk • 2 cups cherries, pitted and chopped 1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Lightly grease a muffin tin. 2. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the egg, oil, and milk. Stir only until dry ingredients are uniformly moist. Batter will be lumpy. Gently fold in the cherries. 3. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool slightly before removing from muffin tin. Makes approximately 16 muffins. TAKE a LOOK: As much as I enjoy eating breakfast, I do not jump out of bed, run down to my kitchen, and begin pulling mixing bowls and frying pans from my cupboards the moment I wake up. No, it is rarely that way (only if I've invited friends over and they're expecting what I promised). A typical morning for me is... 1. Wake at 6 a.m. and walk slowly to the front door to grab the morning papers 2. Turn on the espresso machine 3. Let my French Bulldog Pipi outdoors 4. Toast a slice of sourdough bread. 5. Let Pipi back indoors. 6. Make a double shot of espresso for my cappuccino 7. Go back to bed with my cappuccino,the papers, and Pipi. The good thing is, others in my house understand my disdain of early morning activity or chatter, and usually do not approach me until after I've consumed my double shot of espresso. This is why I am such a huge fan of preparing whatever I can ahead of time. I may not like making breakfast first thing, but I do appreciate having something at the ready for my first meal of the day. Many times, before I head to bed at night, I will mix up everything I can for the next morning... Combine the flour with the other dry ingredients. Place the unwrapped butter in the mixer bowl. Set the eggs out to reach room temperature. Prepare the muffin or bread tins... But, what's truly best is actually having the finished product waiting for me in the morning. Does that mean I'm getting lazy? I remember a friend's grandmother and elderly aunt always setting their breakfast table before retiring for the night. Everything was out there, including the boxes of cereal (sans milk). I thought it was very odd at the time. I totally get it now. The recipe for Blackberry, Lemon, and Thyme Muffins is from the recent Bon Appetit magazine. I can't help but think that this batter would taste wonderful baked as cakes (two 8-inch rounds?), drizzled with a powdered sugar-lemon icing, and crowned with a candied violet. Just a thought, and a possible great dessert for a spring brunch or luncheon. adapted recipe of Elizabeth Belkind | Bon Appétit, March 2012 FOR THE TOPPING: • 1 cup cake flour • 1/4 cup sugar • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes • 1 large egg yolk FOR THE MUFFINS: • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour • 1 cup cake flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature • 1 cup sugar • 2 large eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 cup buttermilk • 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, preferably organic • 1 1/2 cups blackberries, halved or sliced into thirds if large • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves FOR THE TOPPING: 1. Combine the first 5 ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the size of small peas. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the egg yolk until evenly moist. Refrigerate one hour. FOR THE MUFFINS: 1. Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners. 2. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the unbleached all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until fully incorporated. 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla. Slowly add to the butter mixture and beat for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. 5. Stir together the buttermilk and lemon zest. Gradually add to the butter-egg mixture and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat just until combined. Do not over mix. In a small bowl, gently st together the blackberries and the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Fold into the muffin batter. 6. Divide the batter between the 16 muffin cups. Remove the topping mixture from the refrigerator and distribute evenly onto the top of the individual muffins. 7. Bake muffins for 40 minutes or until golden and a tester comes out clean. TAKE a LOOK: Breakfast? Dessert? or mid-morning Snack? MAKES 12 MUFFINS • 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 3/4 cup sugar • 1/2 cup canola oil • 1 large egg • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1/2 pound zucchini, coarsely grated • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips > Preheat oven to 350˚F with rack in middle. Whisk together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat together sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just incorporated. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips. Divide among lined muffin cups and bake until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out to cool completely. adapted from a recipe in Gourmet | September 2009 TAKE a LOOK: I didn't do it this time, but when I make these muffins again I'm going to toss in a handful of dried currants, cranberries, or raisins. :: Applesauce & Walnut Muffins adapted from a recipe in Gourmet | November 2003 • 1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 2 large eggs • 1 cup brown sugar • 11 tablespoons (1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce • 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts • Small handful dried currants or raisins, optional • 1 tablespoon Natural Cane Turbinado Sugar • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with baking cups. 2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until well-blended; add the butter a little bit at a time, whisking until mixture is creamy. Stir in the applesauce, then the flour mixture until flour is just moistened. Stir in the nuts (and currants, raisins, or dried cranberries if using) and divide batter evenly between the muffins cups. 3. Stir together the Turbinado sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle mixture over the muffins. Bake the muffins until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool slightly. TAKE a LOOK: Saw this recipe for Blueberry and Banana Muffins on Serious Eats. Had the √ blueberries, had the √ bananas. Good to go. Next time... I'll add about a half cup of chopped pecans. I think that would make them perfect. + Blueberry and Banana Muffins + adapted from a recipe by Sydney Oland via Serious Eats • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 2 large eggs • 3/4 cup light brown sugar • 3 small bananas, mashed • 1/3 cup canola oil • 2 cups fresh blueberries • Cooking spray or paper muffin cup liners Makes 16 muffins 1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Prepare muffin tins by either spraying with cooking spray or lining with the paper muffin cup liners. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar. Add the mashed bananas and canola oil and whisk to combine. 3. Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients; gently fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin cups with the batter. 4. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes. TAKE a LOOK: I had a very sad looking box where I kept recipe cards from a very long time ago and I thought It time to go through and separate the good from the bad. I was rather proud of myself, actually. Thirty years ago, when I was in my 20's, I was recording some pretty great and unusual recipes; many of which I still have not yet tried. Then, there were other recipes that definitely needed to be tossed along with the box. I found a recipe card for Carrot and Currant Cornmeal Muffins in my mother's handwriting. Altho' I have no memories of my mother ever making these muffins, I thought I'd bake them for breakfast this morning. Tasty and crumbly, they are very good with a cup of tea. Carrot and Currant Cornmeal Muffins • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour • 1 cup cornmeal • 4 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1 cup grated organic carrots • 1/4 cup currants • 1 large egg, beaten • 1 cup milk • 1/4 cup canola oil + Mix flour, corn meal, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, and mix, making sure there are no lumps of the brown sugar. Stir in the grated carrots and currants. In a small bowl, combine the beaten egg, milk and canola oil; add to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not over-mix. Fill 12 muffin cups that are either oiled or lined with paper cups and bake on the middle rack of a preheated 400˚F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. TAKE a LOOK: You may be shocked when I tell you this, but I can get lazy sometimes. Yes, it's true, lazy to the point where there is nothing delicious to eat on a Saturday or Sunday morning. On those two days I like to sleep a little past the 5:50 a.m. alarm that wakes me every morning of the school / work week. On those mornings I get downstairs as quickly as possible to feed my French Bulldog (who will whack me relentlessly with her paw until there is food in her dish), get my daughter breakfast (which I take up to her bedroom), and make my husband and myself a cappuccino. Saturday and Sunday mornings I should be in my kitchen whipping up breakfasts so filling you have no desire to eat another meal until late in the day. But instead, those are the mornings I like to sit in a peaceful, so-quiet-you-can-hear-a-pin-drop house with my cappuccino and stack of newspapers, and do nothing else but read. (ah... doesn't that sound wonderful?) But I still want to wake up to something delicious to go along with that cappuccino. Everyone in this house likes finding these Apple-Cranberry Muffins on the kitchen table in the morning. I rarely have fresh cranberries available, but there are always dried in my pantry. *Pour boiling water over 1 cup of dried cranberries to re-hydrate; after 5 minutes, pour off remaining water and continue with the recipe. … Apple and Cranberry Muffins … adapted from Once Upon a Tart by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau • Unsalted butter or vegetable oil spray for greasing the muffin tins • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 2 large eggs • 1 cup sugar • 3/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 medium-size tart apple, cored (not peeled), and cut into 1/2-inch cubes • 1 cup re-hydrated dried cranberries 1. Preheat oven to 400˚F and grease 12 muffin cups. 2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. 3. In a separate, large bowl, whisk the eggs briefly. Still whisking with one hand, pour in the sugar with the other hand. Continue whisking for a few minutes, until the eggs begin to pale in color. Use the whisk to stir in the oil and vanilla. 4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring gently with a spoon until flour is practically incorporated. Add the apple and cranberries, and stir gently until there is no signs of flour left. 5. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin cups, dividing evenly between the 12 cups. 6. Place the muffin tin on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 7. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes in the tin. Remove muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: My Sunday morning routine.... Cappuccino, the New York Times and Apple-Buttermilk Muffins. Apple-Buttermilk Muffins with Walnuts • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 cup buttermilk • 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 1 large egg • 2 cups peeled, cored and diced apples • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease 12 muffin pan cups, or line with paper muffin cups. 2. In a large bowl, mix first 5 ingredients. In a small bowl, beat buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, and egg until blended; stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Fold in apples. 3. In a small dish, mix sugar and cinnamon. Spoon batter into muffin cups; sprinkle batter evenly with chopped walnuts, followed by the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Immediately remove from the pan. Serve warm or cool muffins on a wire rack. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: |
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